This soup is full of secrets. Secret number 1 is the immense healing power of this soup, thanks to all the mushrooms Secret number 2 is that this recipe is much more flexible than you might think: if you’re missing a mushroom or two of a certain variety, you can easily swap in another, as long as you keep the same total quantity of fresh and powdered mushrooms that is called for in the recipe (technically, you can even make this Two Mushroom Soup, if it’s more your style). And secret number 3 is that mushroom soup is quite possibly the best thing ever, needing very little extra ingredient oomph to get its flavorful point across. Don’t thank me for the deliciousness of this soup. Thank the mushrooms!

Combine the broth, cashews, and all three Om mushroom powders in a blender, and process until smooth.

Warm the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add all the chopped mushrooms, thyme, and ¼ cup of the cashew-broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms have softened, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add the remaining cashew-broth mixture, season with ½ teaspoon sea salt and a little ground black pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Pour half the soup into a blender, and blend until smooth. Add the remaining soup, and blend for just a moment to incorporate, while leaving in some texture from the chopped mushrooms. Add additional water to thin the soup, if needed, and adjust seasoning if desired. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a pinch of freshly chopped parsley.

Miso Broth

Here you have it: my absolute favorite simple soup broth, and the one you should definitely commit to memory. It’s unbelievably versatile and easy to make, and it punches up the flavor of everything it’s added to! Unlike most recipes for miso soups, which only gently warm the miso (traditionally, it’s added at the end of a recipe to preserve its delicate enzymes), I treat this broth just like any other by adding it to soups early on. It’s sacrilege, I know, to waste a few innocent enzymes, but in this instance it’s really the flavor of miso that we’re after.

There are infinite ways to punch up a miso broth, but this recipe is a great place to start. I like to use yellow miso paste here, as it’s the most versatile, but feel free to substitute other varieties— white miso paste has the weakest flavor, while brown and red miso pastes are the strongest. If you’re avoiding soy, chickpea miso is a great resource to use, too.

Makes about 8 cups

4 Tbsp yellow miso paste 1 tsp kelp granules 2 quarts (8 cups) water

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender until the miso is fully dissolved. Use in soups as directed, or warm over low heat to enjoy as a sipping broth. The broth may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or kept in the freezer for several months.

FEEL-GOOD FACT:Broths containing seaweed, like kelp or kombu, are naturally high in minerals and electrolytes. Warmed up, they make an excellent post-exercise drink to aid in recovery and hydration.